Loyola, Milwaukee advance to women's soccer championship match

Nov. 9, 2007

(#2 seed) Loyola 1, (#3 seed) Wright State 0 Box Score
Milwaukee, Wis. - Heather Lau scored in the 81st minute as second-seeded Loyola advanced to the Horizon League title match for the second consecutive season with a 1-0 win over Wright State tonight at Englemann Field. With the win, the Ramblers tied the school-record for wins in a season and improve to 14-8. Wright State ends its season with a 13-6-1 record.

Loyola had a majority of the possession but was unable to break through in the first half. Katie Heidenreich had three terrific chances in the period, forcing Raider keeper Meghan Hackerson into a pair of fine saves. Wright State's best chance of the half came on a long drive by Megan Mattioda that Colleen Dougherty was able to punch over the bar for a corner in the 42nd minute.

The Ramblers started the second half the same way and nearly went ahead in the 47th minute only for Hackerson to deny Lau off a corner kick. However, the constant pressure finally paid off after 80 minutes. Horizon League Player of the Year Cynthia Morote-Ariza got the ball on the right side and sent in a bender that hit the crossbar. The ball caromed to Cara Morawski, who headed the ball back to the top of the six-yard box for Lau to head into the top of the net. The goal was Lau's second of the season, with the other coming in another 1-0 LU win (vs. Butler).

Just 30 seconds after the goal, Wright State nearly drew even as Amber Kasmer took advantage of miscommunication in the back but Dougherty was up to the challenge, coming up with a big save. Loyola defended with discipline the rest of the way to seal their school-record 11th shutout of the season.

Dougherty stopped eight shots in the victory, while Hackerson posted nine saves. The teams combined for 36 shots, 19 by the Ramblers.

(#1 seed) Milwaukee 2, (#4 seed) Butler 1 (OT) Box Score
Milwaukee, Wis. - Sarah Teegarden scored in the 108th minute to send host Milwaukee to a 2-1 come-from behind-win over Butler in the Horizon League Semifinals at Engelmann Field. The Panthers improved to 13-4-3 while Butler finished the season at 10-9-1.

Teegarden gathered a loose ball in the middle of the box and ended the match at 107:32. Senior Amanda Winn sent a corner kick into the box and two Butler defenders got their heads on the ball, before it fell to Teegarden. She finished from five yards out.

After playing scoreless soccer for the majority of regulation, Butler jumped on the board in the 75th minute. Carrie Twyman stripped the ball from a Panther defender and created herself a 1v1 with Panther keeper Erin Kane. Twyman calmly finished far post.

Pam Shipway responded just minutes later, deflecting a cross from freshman Heather Roadhouse. Roadhouse beat her defender wide and sent a cross into the box from the endline. Shipway got her head on the ball and finished far post.

The Panthers controlled the tempo for much of the game and had the upper hand through the first overtime. Butler had much of the possession in the second half, but was unable to generate any opportunities. The tide turned for UWM on a quick throw-in from sophomore Kate Megna that led to the winning corner kick. She threw the ball into the corner where sophomore Erin Kreuser drew the corner kick.

Loyola and Milwaukee meet Sunday for the championship, beginning at noon Central time (1 p.m. Eastern) at UWM's Engelmann Field. The winner of that match earns the League's automatic entry into the NCAA Championship.